Gas fueled burner assembly



Feb. 25, 1958 R. D. REED GAS FUELED BURNER ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2. 1954 INVENTOR I? @357? T D. 17550 ATTORNEY Feb. 25, B958 R. D. REED 2,824,603

GAS FUELED BURNER ASSEMBLY J Filed Aug. 2, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ROBERT D. REED .FIGJO BY P g i I ATTORNEY Feb; 25, 1958 R. D. REED GAS FUELED BURNER ASSEMBLY 3 Shee ts-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 2, 1954 1N VENTOR RSOBE RT 0; RE E 0 ATTORNEY United States Patent GAS runner) BURNER ASSEMBLY Robert D. Reed, Tulsa, Okla, assignor, by mesne assignments, to John Zink Company, Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Application August 2, 1954, Serial No. 447,310

3 Claims. (Cl. 158-106) The present invention relates to gas burners and more specifically pertains to an arrangement of burner heads in an annular outline circumferentially spaced from each other and supplied with fuel from an annular manifold common to all of the burner heads including means for controlling access of air to the presence of the burner heads.

An object of the invention is to provide a plurality of burners each designed to discharge the fuel mixture in a relatively thin elongated pattern with the burner heads mounted in such a manner that the major dimension of the flame is in a substantially radial position to provide novel flame patterns and the invention pertains to means for supporting the burner heads and the fuel mixing members of the burners.

Another object of the invention is to provide a front plate for the burner assembly which serves to support ends of the fuel mixing devices for the burner heads and the annular manifold and to provide a shiftable door for simultaneously controlling the access of air to all of the burners.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent and will be appreciated by those skilled in the art as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description wherein an exemplary embodiment of the invention is disclosed along with a modification of the tip of one or more of the burner heads.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional elevational view taken through the axis of a burner assembly exhibiting the invention with some of the burners omitted to clarify the illustrated parts.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the burner assembly looking in the direction of the arrows associated with the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 with the background structure omitted.

Fig. 3 is an elongated fragmentary sectional view of one of the burner heads taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view showing a modified burner tip.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the plate at the, front of the burner assembly.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the inner face of the air door with other parts shown in section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the aspirating devices.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 7 with the air shutter omitted.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 6.

The mounting of the burner assembly in operative association with a furnace wall 11 is shown in Fig. 1. The furnace wall is provided with an opening 12 of circular shape. A mounting thimble 14 of cylindrical formation is accommodated in the opening 12 and, the inner surface of the thimble 14 may be flush with a portion of the periphery of the opening 12. The thimble 14 serves as a base member on which other elements of the burner organization are supported. A flange 16 extends outwardly from the thimble 14 and the flange 16 is adapted to lie along an outer face of a covering 17 for the furnace wall. The flange 16 is secured to the furnace wall by means of anchoring bolts or screws as hereinafter described.

The assembly includes a front plate 18 having a generally disc shape with a diameter approximating that of the circumference of the flange 16. The front plate 18 is rigidly supported in spaced relationship from the furnace will 11 by means of a plurality of spacer elements 19 which may be of tubular formation and by means of screws or bolts 21 which extend through the front plate 18 and through the spacer elements 19 and openings in the flange 16. The inner ends of the bolts are anchored in the Wall 11 and when they are threaded home maintain the front plate 18 in a fixed position spaced outwardly from the free end of the thimble 14. The bolts 21 serve in cooperation with the spacer elements 19 to maintain the flange 16 of the thimble in firm engagement with the wall structure of the furnace.

The front plate 18 carries an annular manifold 22 which in the embodiment illustrated is formed integral with the front plate 18. In the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 5 a portion of the manifold 22 is located outside the plane of the front face of the plate 18 and another. portion of the manifold projects from the inner face of the front plate. A conduit connection 23 carried by the manifold 22 is adapted to be connected to a gaseous fuel supply and gas at pressures of five to forty pounds per square inch gauge are supplied to the manifold 22. The gas supplied under such pressures through the conduit connection 23 moves around the manifold 22 so as to be available as a supply source for all of the burners. The front plate 18 carries a boss 24 which may be integral therewith. A circular centrally disposed opening 26 is provided in the boss 24 for accommodating and supporting an auxiliary guide tube 27.

Apparatus exhibiting the invention includes a plurality of burner heads 28 arranged in an annular outline about the axis of the thimble 14. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 eight burner heads 28 are disposed in circumferentially spaced positions about the axis of the auxiliary guide tube 27. Each burner head is of elongated construction and provided with a slot 29 through which a major portion of the gaseous fuel mixture escapes. In one embodiment the slot 29 has a width of one-fourth of an inch and is about five inches in length. The dimensions of the slot 29 may vary without departing from the invention. The burner heads are mounted so that the slots 29 are disposed in positions radially of the auxiliary guide tube 27. Each burner head 28 is provided adjacent the discharge end thereof with walls having concave outer surfaces 31 in which small discharge ports 33 and 34 are provided as shown in Fig. 3. The discharge ports 33 and 34 arranged at spaced intervals at each side of the slot 29 are so located that the gaseous fuel jets issuing through the ports 33 and 34 impinge on each other. A predominant portion of the gas-air mixture flows from the slot 29 and a smaller portion passes through the ports 33 and 34. The flow of the greater portion of the fuel mixture from the slot 29 is unimpeded while the flow of fuel mixture from the ports 33 and 34 is checked because of the intermingling of the streams of fuel upon emergence of the small ports.

Each burner head rearwardly of the discharge end is provided with inwardly converging side walls 36 and 37. The end walls 38 and 39 also converge towards each other in proceeding towards the front of the assembly. A

Patented Feb. 25, 1958.

tubular member 41 extends from the outer ends of the converging side and end walls of the burner head towards the front plate 18. The tubular member 41 may if desired be formed integral with the burner head and this member forms a mixing throat for the burner. A bracket 42 extends laterally from each tubular member 41. A plurality of radially disposed arms 43 attached to the periphery of the auxiliary guide tube 27 are bolted to the respective brackets 42 so as to hold the burner heads in fixed positions.

The front end of each tubular member 41 carries a pair of axially extending arms 44 which have open areas 45 therebetween. A lug 46 is provided at the free end of each arm 44 for securing the front ends of the fuel mixing devices to the plate 18 by means of bolts 47. The outer ends of the tubular members 41 are thus rigidly supported by the front plate 18 which is in turn firmly supported on the thimble 14. The tubular members 41 which provide the mixing throats and which carry the burner head 28 are also supported by the arms 43 which extend radially from the periphery of the auxiliary guide tube 27. The tube 27 is firmly supported on the front plate 18 by reason of a snug fit of the auxiliary guide tube within the boss 24. The arms 44 in addition to rigidly supporting the outer ends of the fuel mixing devices prevent twisting or rotation of the tubular members 41 about their respective axes and thus maintain the burner heads 28 with the slots 29 therein in radially disposed positions.

An auxiliary fuel burning device (not shown) may be mounted within the free inner end of the auxiliary guide tube 27 or a pilot of any suitable type may be mounted at the forward end of the tube 27. A conical shaped member 51 is attached to the forward end of the auxiliary guide tube 27 and the periphery of the frustro-conical wall terminates adjacent the inner ends of the burner heads 28. The auxiliary guide tube 27 provides part of means for supporting the burner heads 28 and also serves to accommodate a supply conduit for the auxiliary burner or pilot. The close proximity of the burner heads 28 to the periphery of the cone shaped member 51 provides the advantage that air flowing furnaceward does not tend to extinguish the pilot and a low pressure zone is established into which appreciable quantities of the gas-air mixture from the burner heads is drawn to meet at a common point for rapid and stable ignition of all of the burner heads. The cone shaped member 51 also serves to stabilize op eration of the auxiliary burner when secondary air flows towards the combustion zone.

The manifold 22 is provided with a plurality of discharge openings 56 and in the embodiment illustrated eight of such discharge openings are provided each in alignment with the axis of an associated tubular member 41. A threaded spud '7 is connected to the manifold adjacent each discharge opening 56 so as to receive gas from the manifold 22. Each spud has a central bore in communication with the opening 56 through which gas may escape from the hollow interior of the manifold 22. At the discharge end of each spud 57 there is an orifice 58 which is dimensioned to pass a proper volume of gas in relation to the pressure of the source. The gas escaping through an orifice 58 enters the end of a tubular member 41. Air may enter the respective tubular members 41 in a direction of the arrows 59 (Fig. 9) between the arms 44. Each tubular member 41 adjacent the front end is provided with an outwardly flared annular surface 60 for facilitating movement of air into the mixing throat of the tubular member 41. Air entrained with the gas provides a gaseous air fuel mixture which moves forwardly in the tubular members 41 for discharge from the burner heads 28. A conical shaped air shutter 61 is provided with internal threads for cooperating with the exterior threads on each spud 57. The air shutters 61 may be adjusted to control the volume of air admitted to each of the tubular members 41.

The assembly includes a slidable air control door 63 which is of disc formation as best shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The air door 63 is provided with a central hub 64 which surrounds the auxiliary guide tube 27. The hub fits closely about the periphery of the auxiliary guide tube 27 but the door is mounted for sliding movements on the tube 27. The diameter of the air door 63 corresponds approximately with the outer diameter of the thimble 14. A plurality of openings 66 are provided in the air door 63 at circumferentially spaced intervals corresponding to the spacing of fuel mixing devices. Each opening 66 is of circular formation and enlarged rectangular shaped portions 67 communicate with the circular opening for accommodating the arms 44 and the lugs 46. The air door 63 is mounted for sliding movements on the auxiliary guide tube 27 and for this purpose a pair of rods 69 are secured to the door 63 and extend through openings in the front plate 18. A handle 71 is attached to the outer end of each rod 69 whereby the position of the door 63 may be adjusted axially of the assembly. The door 63 is shown in the closed position in Fig. 1 whereby all of the air for combustion enters the mixing throats through the spaces 45 between the arms 44 and virtually no secondary air is permitted to move into the combustion zone around the burner heads 28. The air door 63 may be moved to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 and may be moved to a position where the outer face of the disc shaped door 63 lies in abutting relationship with the inner face of the front plate 18. Under such circumstances secondary air may pass to the zone of combustion.

In operation and when it is desired to fire the furnace by the operation of the burners 28 gas under pressure is supplied into the manifold 22. The gas under high pressure escapes through the discharge orifices 58. The air shutters 61 are adjusted on the spuds 57 to such positions as to permit entry of proper quantities of primary air in the direction of the arrows 59 (Fig. 9). The burner assembly is so designed as to inspirate all of the air required for combustion or condition known as the inspiration of one hundred percent primary air. Under such circumstances, the air door 63 is maintained in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. Air volume inspirated into the mixing throats of the tubular member 41 is then linear with the gas volume flowing from the discharge orifices 58. The operation of the burner heads 28 is then independent of draft through the opening 12 in the furnace wall and the operation of the burners is immune from any wind action.

The burner heads 28 discharge the fuel mixture in elongated radial patterns and all of the burners may be ignited from a common pilot at the inner end of the auxiliary tube 27 or a torch or similar igniting device may be inserted through the auxiliary guide tube 27. In the event of one of the burners becoming extinguished for any reason re-ignition will take place because of the close proximity of the inner ends of the elongated burner heads 28 where the slots 29 are quite close to each other.

The air door 63 may be moved to the dotted line position of Fig. 1 to permit air to enter between the tubular members 41. Such air will move furnaceward through the areas between the burner heads. Such position of the air door 63 will not disturb the inspiration of air into the mixing throats of the tubular members 41. The secondary air provides cooling of the burner heads to avoid damage to the burner heads when auxiliary fuel is burned at the forward end of the auxiliary guide tube 27.

The flame pattern for each burner head 28 will be generally of a fan shape outline and forwardl into the furnace by reason of the disposition of the elongated slots 29. The combustion of the fuel issuing from the inner ends of the slots 29 will merge forwardly of the burner heads to provide a unique flame pattern. The overall pattern of the burning fuel may be altered by employing burner tips of the type as shown in Fig. 4

wherein the elongated slot 89 is directed angularly to a side of the burner head 91. The burner of this embodiment is provided with rows of discharge ports 92 and 93 which function in a manner similar to the ports 33 and 34. All of the burner heads 23 may be replaced to have tips like that shown in Fig. 4 or some of the burner heads may be replaced by the modified burner. When several of the burners are of the type shown in Fig. 4 the angularly disposed slots 89 may all slope in a common direction in proceeding circumferentially around the group of burner heads or some of the slots 89 may be arranged to slope in opposite directions to provide still a dilferent flame pattern.

While the invention has been described with reference to particular structural features and with regard to one overall organization it will be understood that changes may be made in the details as well as in the assembly. Other types of burner tips may be employed and such changes and others may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i. In a fuel burner assembly, an annular thimble having an outer end, a front plate supported on the thimble in spaced relationship from one end thereof, a manifold of annular shape carried by said front plate having discharge openings inside the plate at circumferentially spaced intervals, a plurality of tubular members corresponding in number to said discharge openings, means securing ends of the tubular members to the front plate in positions aligned with said discharge openings, means controlling the entry of air into said tubular members, a burner head carried by the other end of each tubular member, each burner head having an elongated discharge slot therein disposed in a generally radial position with respect to the axis of said thimble, an auxiliary guide tube supported by said front plate extending axially of the thimble, a disc shaped air door mounted for sliding movements on said auxiliary guide tube, said air door having a diameter as great as said thimble, said air door having openings therein fitting closely about outer ends of said tubular members and said securing means, and said disc being movable on said guide tube between said outer end of the thimble and said front plate.

2. In a fuel burner assembly, an annular thimble, a front plate supported on the thimble in spaced relationship from one end thereof, an annular manifold carried by said front plate having discharge openings at an inner side of the front plate, means for supplying gaseous fuel into said manifold, a plurality of tubular members correspending in number to said discharge openings, means securing ends of the tubular members to the front plate in positions to receive gaseous fuel from said discharge openings, means controlling the entry of air into ends of the tubular members for mixture with the gaseous fuel, a burner head carried by the other end of each tubular member, a disc shaped air door having a diameter as great as said thimble, means supporting the air door for movements between said end of the thimble and said front plate, and said air door having openings therein fitting closely about said tubular members and said securing means.

3. In a fuel burner assembly, an annular thimble, a front plate of generally disc shape supported on the thimble in spaced relationship from one end thereof, an annular manifold carried by said front plate having discharge openings at the inside of the plate at circumferentially spaced intervals, means for supplying gaseous fuel into said manifold, a plurality of tubular members corresponding in number to said discharge openings, spaced arms on the tubular members, means connecting said arms to the front plate positioning the tubular members for receiving gaseous fuel from said discharge openings, means controlling the entry of air into said tubular members for mixture with the gaseous fuel, a burner head carried by the other end of each tubular member, an auxiliary guide tube supported by said front plate extending axially of the thimble, means extending from said guide tube for supporting said tubular members, a disc shaped air door mounted for sliding movements on said auxiliary guide tube, said air door having a diameter as great as said thimble and adapted to engage the free end thereof, and said air door having openings therein fitting closely about said tubular members and said arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 637,849 Buerkle Nov. 28, 1899 670,979 Allen Apr. 2, 1901 1,246,523 Backstrom Nov. 13, 1917 1,722,066 Tabler July 23, 1929 1,986,796 De Florez Jan. 8, 1935 2,148,466 Hepburn et al. Feb. 28, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 441,561 Germany Mar. 10, 1927 

